Babeu, a vocal proponent of Arizona's new immigration law, has appeared in two of Sen. John McCain's television ads, the most recent taking airwaves last week.

In a statement released Wednesday, Hayworth said McCain needs to distance himself from the sheriff for his affiliation with "The Political Cesspool Radio Show," a Tennessee-based talk show that has been named a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center and portrayed as a "White nationalist" program.

"McCain's biggest pitch man is on the radio praising the show and calling the host of Political Cesspool a 'great American,'" Hayworth said. "McCain needs to renounce the Sheriff, pull the ads and make it clear that this is not the type of campaigning he endorses."

Brian Rogers, a McCain campaign spokesman, noted Babeu has already said he regrets calling into this radio show and was "unaware of its hosts' repugnant views."

"It's unfortunate that Congressman Hayworth -- who frequently complains that liberals unfairly paint opponents of illegal immigration as racists -- would add his voice to a smear campaign driven by liberal blogs to attack a respected sheriff fighting on the front lines in Arizona's battle against drug and human smuggling," Rogers said.

Babeu's spokesman, Tim Gaffney, said he wasn't aware of the radio show's reputation when he arranged for the sheriff to appear on its July 10 broadcast.

The show's host, James Edwards, has countered that Babeu and Gaffney were well aware of the Political Cesspool's "pro-White," paleoconservative views prior to the sheriff's interview.

"Personally and professionally, I reject bigotry or hate in any form," Babeu said. "I stand by my strong record supporting the rule of law."

A recent example cited by his office is the sheriff's condemnation of a militia led by neo-Nazi Jason "J.T." Ready. The group recently began armed patrols of a known drug- and human-smuggling corridor in Pinal County.